System and method for player's identification

Abstract

A system includes a database, a tracking arrangement, a motion sensor device and a processing arrangement. The database stores profiles for each sports player, each profile comprising identifying information for the player and a playerID. The tracking arrangement captures shot data corresponding to trajectories of sports balls launched by the players. The motion sensor device captures motion data corresponding to a swinging motion of a player or ball striking implement. The tracking arrangement and the motion sensor device: detect a first swing of a first player from the motion data captured by the motion sensor device, the first player being associated with a first playerID; associate the first swing of the first player with a timestamp and a location; and associate a first trajectory of a sports ball from the shot data captured by the tracking arrangement to the first swing based on the timestamp and the location.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a database configured to store profiles for each of a plurality of golfers, each profile comprising identifying information for one of the golfers and a unique playerID associated with the one of the golfers; 
 a tracking arrangement configured to capture shot data corresponding to trajectories of golf balls launched by the golfers; 
 a wearable device carried by a first golfer comprising a motion sensor device configured to capture motion data corresponding to a swinging motion of the first golfer, the wearable device being associated with a first playerID of the first golfer; and 
 a processing arrangement coupled to the database, the tracking arrangement and the wearable device, the processing arrangement configured to identify which one of the plurality of golfers having profiles stored in the database executed a swing resulting in a given trajectory determined from the shot data captured by the tracking arrangement, the processing arrangement configured to:
 determine a first trajectory of a first shot of a first golf ball from the shot data captured by the tracking arrangement; 
 determine a first launch time and a first launch location for the first trajectory; 
 receive information from the wearable device or a mobile device linked to the wearable device, the information indicating a first swing was detected and including the first playerID, a first location for the first swing, and a first timestamp associated with the first swing; 
 compare the first timestamp to the first launch time to determine a correspondence in time and compare the first location to the first launch location to determine a correspondence in location; 
 match the first trajectory to the first swing based on the correspondence in time and the correspondence in location; and 
 based on the first playerID included in the information and associated with the first swing, associate the first trajectory to a first profile of the first golfer associated with the first playerID. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable device or the mobile device stores swing data corresponding to the first swing, the first timestamp, and the first location, wherein the information is received by the processing arrangement at an end of play of the first golfer for associating the first trajectory to the first profile of the first golfer. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable device or the mobile device linked to the wearable device has a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for determining the first location for the first swing when the first swing is detected. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein an electronic identifier carried by the first golfer and associated with the first golfer is detected to determine the location of the first swing. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to execute an algorithm utilizing golf logic to facilitate identifying which one of the plurality of golfers generated the first trajectory by narrowing a list of profiles in the database considered when performing the identifying. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the golf logic includes logic related to known groupings of golfers, known golf hole layouts, or known golf course layouts. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the golf logic includes logic related to an estimated current lie of the first golf ball of the first golfer, as determined based on the shot data from the tracking arrangement. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to output parameters for the first trajectory to a personal device of the first golfer associated with the first playerID prior to a next shot of the first golfer. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the parameters for the first trajectory include an estimated lie position for the first golf ball after the first golf ball comes to rest so that an application on the personal device can provide data facilitating the finding of the corresponding golf ball. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the parameters for the first trajectory include an indication that the first golf ball has come to rest at a position within a first area of a golf course that is out of bounds, the parameters further including an indication of a second area from which the first golfer can take a next shot that is in bounds. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to compile a summary including parameters for all trajectories of all shots taken by the first golfer during a sports event. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to:
 detect a type of golf club used by the first golfer for the first shot; and 
 associate the detected type of the golf club with the first trajectory. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the type of the golf club is detected based on a signal emitted from an electronic tag attached to the golf club when the golf club is in use. 
     
     
       14. A system, comprising:
 a database configured to store profiles for each of a plurality of golfers, each profile comprising identifying information for one of the golfers and a unique playerID associated with the one of the golfers; 
 a tracking arrangement configured to capture shot data corresponding to trajectories of golf balls launched by the golfers; 
 a mobile device comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for acquiring location data of the mobile device over time and associating a timestamp with a location, the mobile device being associated with a first playerID of the first golfer; and 
 a processing arrangement coupled to the database, the tracking arrangement and the mobile device, the processing arrangement configured to identify which one of the plurality of golfers having profiles stored in the database generated a given trajectory determined from the shot data captured by the tracking arrangement, the processing arrangement configured to:
 determine a first trajectory of a first shot of a first golf ball from the shot data captured by the tracking arrangement; 
 determine a first launch time and a first launch location for the first trajectory; 
 receive information from the mobile device including the location data associated with the first playerID; 
 compare the location data to the first launch time and the first launch location to determine a correspondence in time and location; 
 execute an algorithm utilizing golf logic to facilitate identifying which one of the plurality of golfers generated the first trajectory, the golf logic including logic related to known groupings of golfers, a known golf hole layout, a known golf course layout, or shot trajectories determined by the processing arrangement prior to the first trajectory; and 
 based on the correspondence in time and location and the golf logic, match the first trajectory to a first profile of the first golfer associated with the first playerID. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to reduce a number of profiles from the database to search for matching the first trajectory to the first golfer based on the golf logic. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to:
 anticipate an upcoming launch location for an upcoming shot based on an estimated current lie on a golf hole for the first golfer; and 
 match a second trajectory to the first profile of the first golfer based on a correspondence in location for a launch location of the second trajectory to the upcoming launch location. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to:
 determine, within a first known grouping of the golfers including the first golfer, that an estimated current lie on a current golf hole for the first golfer is furthest from a pin relative to other golfers within the first known grouping; and 
 match a second trajectory to the first profile of the first golfer based on the second trajectory being launched next in time relative to subsequent trajectories launched on the current golf hole. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to:
 anticipate an upcoming launch location for an upcoming shot based on a completion of a given golf hole by the first golfer, the upcoming launch location being determined as a predefined launch location of a next golf hole after the given golf hole; and 
 match a second trajectory to the first profile of the first golfer based on a correspondence in location for a launch location of the second trajectory to the upcoming launch location. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the mobile device comprises an application for associating the first playerID to the first golfer prior to play. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the application comprises a synchronization functionality that, when executed in a special area at a first hole of a golf course, synchronizes the mobile device with the database.